Protective plate for a voting machine

ABSTRACT

A voting machine has a casing which encloses the vote counting mechanism and which has a rear open portion for access to the vote counting mechanism. A rear cover plate is secured in the rear open part of the casing. The rear cover plate is of sufficient size to close the rear portion of the casing to prevent access thereto. The rear cover bearing plate has a plurality of bearing holes one for each of a plurality of voting spindles. One end of each voting spindle is rotatably supported by the bearing plate. The bearing plate gives rigidity to the spindle so it cannot be forcibly flexed. Absent this support it would be possible to not accurately record a vote.

United States Patent t191 Shoup [54] PROTECTIVE PLATE FOR A VOTING MACHINE [22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1974 [2l] Appl. No.: 502,678

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS United Kingdom 235/1 D Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodcock, Washburn, Kurtz & Mackewicz [57] ABSTRACT A voting machine has a casing which encloses the vote counting mechanism and which has a rear open p0rtion for access to the vote counting mechanism. A rear cover plate is secured in the rear open part of the casing. The rear cover plate is of suicient size to close the rear portion of the casing to prevent access thereto. The rear cover bearing plate has a plurality of bearing holes one for each of a plurality of voting spindles. One end of each voting spindle is rotatably supported by the bearing plate. The bearing plate gives rigidity to the spindle so it cannot be forcibly flexed. Absent this support it would be possible to not accurately record a vote.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 sheet 1 of 4 3,917,923

Sheet 2 of 4 U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 sheet 3 0f4 3,917,923

U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheen @f4 3,917,923

IBA

1 v PROTECTIVE PLATE FOR' A VOTING MACHINE BACKGROUND or THE"rim/1515;rfioN'ffr i;

This invention relates tovotingmachines andQrnore particularly to a'voting machine havingarearl cover plate which rotatably supports the voting spindles of the vote counting mechanism. f y

Mechanical voting machines include a plurality of voting spindles which are rotated by-operatinghandles accessible to a voter. The voter `moves the operating handle to a position to cast a vote for a candidate of his choice. The voting V"spindles actuate pinionsin afmechanical counter. Upon leaving the voting machine,the voter operates a lever which registers the vote selections on the counters.

Maintaining the security of the counting mechanisms is a stringent requirement." If unauthorized personnel can gain access 'to the mechanisms they can tamper with the vote tally. On the other hand, access to the counting mechanisms must be provided for election ofcials vto set up the mechanism for each election. That is, election vofficialsmust make sure that the names of the candidates are properly positioned, that the keys are all properly set and are all operative and that the vote recording counters are set at zero.

The usual provision of doors which can be locked and/or sealed to gain access to the voting mechanism is not entirely satisfactory. Hinged doors add undesirable weight and bulk to the machine. lf possible, it is desirable to provide secure access to the machine without adding to its size and weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention a rear cover plate for a voting machine provides a removable, but secure, access to the rear of the machine and also serves the function of rotatably supporting the voting spindles. In accordance with another aspect of the invention the voting machine casing has a well for the storage of election books and records which are accessible without removing the rear cover plate.

In one embodiment of the invention mounting pins are secured to the front panel of the machine. Stand-off elements on each of the pins bear against the front panel at one end. The rear cover is set in place against the other end of the stand-off elements. The pins protrude through the rear cover and a lock can be inserted in holes in the ends of the pins. The voting spindles protrude through bearing holes in the rear cover'plate to rotatably mount them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a threedimensional view of the back side of a voting machine;

FIG. 1A is a three-dirnensional View of the front of the voting machine;

FIG. 2 is taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. l showing the stand-off mounts; and

FIG. 3 is taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing a voting machine spindle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A voting machine has a casing 11 which encloses the vote counting mechanism. The casing has a rear open portion 12 for access to the vote counting mechanism.

A plurality of vote counting spindles 13 (FIG. 3) each have anfoperating handle 1 4 (FIGS. 1A and 3) whichis accessible to the voter at the front of the machine. The spindles 13 extend through-the front panel l5 which separates the operating handles from the vote counting mechanism.

A rear cover plate bearing 16 is secured in the open rear portion 12 `of the casing. The rear cover bearing plate 16 is of sufficient size to close the casing to prevent access to the vote counting mechanism. The rear cover bearing plate 16 has a plurality of bearing holes 17, one for each4 of the voting spindles 13. The ends of the voting spindles are rotatably disposed at 18 (FIG. 3) in the rear coverplate- 16 when the lrear cover plate is in place. A clip-is inserted in the slot 13A to secure cover 16 in place. Alternatively, a cotter pin in the end of spindle13can be used. v

Four mounting pins 19 are secured to the front panel l5. The rear cover lplate 16 is mounted on Ithese pins. A stand-off element 20 is placed on each of the pins. Stand-off element 20`bears against the front panel 15 at one end thereof. The rear panel 16' bears against the other end of each stand-off element 20.One end of each of the pins 19 projects through the rear cover 16. Each pin has a hole in the' end which projects through the rear cover. A lock 2 l is inserted in the hole through each'pin to prevent removal of the rear cover plate without removal of the locks. The locks are of a type frequently used in voting machines and which include a wire which is sealed at its ends after being put into place. The wire cannot be removed without breaking the seal.

Some of the details of the vote counting mechanism are shown in FIG. 3. Each counter unit includes unit, tens and hundreds counter wheels 23, 24 and 25 respectively. Adjoining wheel 23 is an X wheel 26 which has a large X which is rotated into view when the voter selects the candidate whose vote is being counted by this counter. The X wheel 26 has a gear segment on each end; one to cooperate with wheel 23 and the other to cooperate with drive gear 27 which is driven by the voting spindle 13. The vote counting mechanism also includes a pull strap 28 extending to a vertical interlock and a pull strap 29 extending to a Ageneral election interlock. (Both of straps 28 and 29 are not necessarily used in each election.) These interlocks limit the number of votes which can be cast for a particular office and they serve other functions which are more fully described in prior Shoup patents.

Rear bearing plates 31 and 32 provide a bearing surface for the spindle 13. Prior to this invention this was the rear bearing surface and the spindle between this surface and its rear extreme was free to flex. This flexing caused erroneous vote counting which is corrected by this invention.

The casing l 1 also denes a well 30 which is separate from the enclosure of the vote counting mechanism. The well is sufciently large to store election books and records. Access to the books and records is available without removing the rear cover plate 16.

While a particular embodimentof the invention has been shown and described, various modications are within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications.

What is claimed is:

l. A voting machine comprising:

I through said lfront parielf'andv having one` of said ophaving an open rear portion for access to said vote n counting mechanism,

a .plurality `of voting spindleseach having an opera'tl:

ing handle accessible to a voter at the front of said casing, and

a rear cover bearing plate secured in the open rear portion of said casing, said rear cover bearing plate `being of sufficient size to close the rear open portion of said casing to prevent access thereto, said rear cover bearing plate having a plurality of Abearing holes, one for each of said voting spindles, the

ends of said voting spindles being rotatably-disposed in said holes when said cover is in place in said casing.

2. The voting machine recited in claim 1 wherein said casing defines a well separate from the enclosure of said vote counting mechanism, said well being of a size to store election books and records, access to said books and records being available without removing said rear cover plate.

r3. The voting machine recited in claim prising: l

a front panel, each of said voting spindles extending l further ,com-

ieratingrhandlesatthe endthereof outside of said gfront panel, and

luralitypof, mountingA pins secured to said front panelpsaidgrearcovepil'aearing plate being mounted onsaid pins. 4. The voting machine reeitedin claim 3=further comprising: l

a stand-off element on each of said pins,- each of said standoff elements bearing against said front panel at one end thereof, said rear cover bearing against the other end `of each stand-off element.

5. The voting machine recited in claim 4 wherein one end of each pin projects through said rear cover, each pin having a hole in the end which projects through said rear cover, and

' alock in thehole of at least one of said pins to prevent removal of said rear cover plate without removal of said lock.

6. The voting machine recited in claim 1 wherein said vote counting mechanism includes a counter for each of said voting spindles, said counter having counter wheels movable by said spindle when the voting lever on the end'thereof is actuated.` 

1. A voting machine comprising: a vote counting mechanism, a casing enclosing said vote counting mechanism and having an open rear portion for access to said vote counting mechanism, a plurality of voting spindles each having an operating handle accessible to a voter at the front of said casing, and a rear cover bearing plate secured in the open rear portion of said casing, said rear cover bearing plate being of sufficient size to close the rear open portion of said Casing to prevent access thereto, said rear cover bearing plate having a plurality of bearing holes, one for each of said voting spindles, the ends of said voting spindles being rotatably disposed in said holes when said cover is in place in said casing.
 2. The voting machine recited in claim 1 wherein said casing defines a well separate from the enclosure of said vote counting mechanism, said well being of a size to store election books and records, access to said books and records being available without removing said rear cover plate.
 3. The voting machine recited in claim 1 further comprising: a front panel, each of said voting spindles extending through said front panel and having one of said operating handles at the end thereof outside of said front panel, and a plurality of mounting pins secured to said front panel, said rear cover bearing plate being mounted on said pins.
 4. The voting machine recited in claim 3 further comprising: a stand-off element on each of said pins, each of said stand-off elements bearing against said front panel at one end thereof, said rear cover bearing against the other end of each stand-off element.
 5. The voting machine recited in claim 4 wherein one end of each pin projects through said rear cover, each pin having a hole in the end which projects through said rear cover, and a lock in the hole of at least one of said pins to prevent removal of said rear cover plate without removal of said lock.
 6. The voting machine recited in claim 1 wherein said vote counting mechanism includes a counter for each of said voting spindles, said counter having counter wheels movable by said spindle when the voting lever on the end thereof is actuated. 